The best that can be said of any of us is that we lived fully and loved whole-heartedly. Catherine Ann Balsis did that and more. A “Jersey girl” at heart, she was born on January 8, 1948 in Trenton, NJ to Dr. Bernard Balsis and Mary Louise (Brown) Balsis. After graduating from American University in 1969, Catherine received her Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
She was passionate about international development as evidenced by over thirty years of experience working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), her time as an instructor at the Experiment for International Living, and as the owner of her own international consulting business, Lakewood Associates, LLC.
Catherine spent many years traveling not only professionally but as a private citizen of the world. Catherine, known lovingly as “CAB”, married the love of her life Ronald Nicholson in 1985. Together with Ron, Catherine had a life full of family dinners, vacations, weddings and celebrations. She was known and loved by her neighborhood community for her warmth and empathy. She was a dedicated dog mom, most recently to her curly-coated retriever, Odie.
Catherine will be remembered for her endless patience and love by her husband Ron Nicholson, her stepchildren Andrew Nicholson, Robert Nicholson, Marcy Clapp, Maria Petow, Teri Nicholson, Cathy Kennerly and Ronald Nicholson. Catherine was a devoted and loving grandmother to her fifteen grandchildren. She is survived by her three siblings, Mary Louise Balsis, Jane Feary and Bernard Balsis, Jr. and many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grandnephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Arlington Welfare League of Arlington or the National MS Society.
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